Pompeii to unveil five restored houses

Exhibit to showcase merging of nature and myth

(ANSA) - Naples, March 15 - Still lives and gardens,
frescoes and fountains, jewellery, statues and vases are all set
to feature in an exhibit title 'Myth and Nature. From Greece to
Pompeii' opening Wednesday at the ancient Roman site of Pompeii
and at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Five newly restored houses within the city that was buried
when the Vesuvius volcano erupted in 79 AD will serve as the
backdrop to a show about how nature was perceived by the Greek
and Roman world as far back as the 8th century BC.
The newly opened sites include the houses of Julia Felix,
Loreius Tiburtinus, of Venus in the Shell, of the Orchard and of
Marcus Lucretius.
A "still life" route set up in the pyramid installation
within Pompeii's amphitheatre showcases frescoes that were
removed and previously housed in the Naples museum.
Organic findings such as seeds, fruit and bread that have
been restored from the ash that covered them after the eruption
are also going to be shown to the public.
The entrance ticket to the site is set to rise by one euro
from Wednesday until June, when the exhibition in the
amphitheatre will be taken down.
The newly restored houses will remain open until November,
when itinerary rotations will begin.
Visitors will be able to admire the hydraulic systems
within the house of Julia Felix, a unique example of a vast and
luxurious spa complex.
The site includes a thermal baths section, a swimming pool,
a fountain garden, niches and pergolas surrounded by ivy, roses
and orchards planted with cypresses, pomegranate, pear and
cherry trees.
The House of Loreius Tiburtinus boasts a large garden with
a variety of fountains, water features and green spaces.
In the House of Venus in the Shell, visitors can see the
Venus fresco that it is named after, and marvel at how the
picturesque decoration is complemented by its sumptuous natural
surroundings.